McNeil v. Hansen
McNeil v. Hansen
Opinion of the Court
After plaintiff had introduced his evidence and rested, the court granted a nonsuit and rendered judgment for defendant. Plaintiff appeals from the judgment and from an order denying his motion for a new trial.
We see no reason for disturbing the judgment. C. G. White filed his petition in insolvency on October 3, 1891, and in December following appellant was appointed his assignee. This action was commenced in February, 1893, to cancel and set aside certain sales of personal property and certain conveyances of real property made by said White to respondent on February 17,
The only witness introduced at the trial by appellant was White; and the court below was entirely right in holding that his testimony failed to establish any of the material facts relied on for a recovery. His testimony showed that, at the time of said transfers and conveyances, he did not consider himself insolvent, and that Hausen did not know that he was insolvent. It shows that the transfers and conveyances were not made with intent to hinder, delay, defraud, or prefer creditors. It appears from his testimony that, although he considered his assets greater than his liabilities (and that fact appeared from the statements which he then made), still he owed some debts which he could not then readily pay; and, being desirous of engaging in a certain business, he wanted to be free from the pressure of said debts. Under these circumstances, he had interviews with his creditors—or at least with nearly all of them —who consented to relieve him if he would transfer his property to the respondent Hansen, whom they selected for that purpose, who was to sell the property, and apply the proceeds to the debts. This was done; and Hansen sold a considerable part of the property at fair prices, to which White consented, and paid the proceeds to creditors. There is no contention that Hansen did not make good sales; indeed, the sales were negotiated by White himself. As to the only objection now urged to the transaction, viz., that Hansen did not pay the moneys received from the different sales ratably among all the creditors,- the evidence does not show that Han
We see no material error committed by the court in any ruling made at the trial.
As appellant has put his contentions under three headings, namely: 1. That the court should have granted his motion for a judgment on the pleadings; 2. That the motion for a nonsuit should have been denied; and 3. That a new trial should have been granted; it is sufficient to say that, in our opinion, each of said contentions is without substantial merit.
The judgment and order appealed from are affirmed.
Henshaw, J., and Temple, J., concurred.
Hearing in Bank denied.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- J. W. McNEIL, Assignee, etc. v. E. H. HANSEN
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Insolvency—Prior Transfer for Benefit of Creditors—Action by Assignee—Nonsuit.—In an action by an assignee in insolvency to recover property transferred by the insolvent debtor nearly eight months prior to the commencement of proceedings in insolvency, where the evidence showed that, at the time of the transfer, the debtor did not consider himself insolvent, and that the transferee did not know that he was insolvent, and that the transfer was not made in the intent to hinder, delay, defraud, or prefer creditors, but was made at the request of the creditors to a trustee selected by them, and that most of the property was sold by such trustee and the proceeds paid to the creditors, though not ratably, it appearing that some of the creditors had liens on part of the property, and were legally preferred creditors, and it not appearing that any of the unpaid creditors had objected that the proceeds were not distributed pro rata, or indicated that they were unwilling to wait until the remainder of the property should be sold and distributed, a nonsuit of the plaintiff is properly granted.